Trusted Information for the Transition

Chosen by a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner

There’s a lot of information about menopause online, and much of it is confusing, out of date, or trying to sell you something. These are evidence-based resources I trust and recommend to my own patients. They’re a great place to start learning, and a great complement to your care.

Perimenopause & Menopause

Estrogen, Interrupted: A Guide to Surviving and Thriving in Perimenopause
by Dr. Amy Voedisch and Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su

Perimenopause can start years before your last period, and it’s often missed or brushed off. Two menopause specialists explain what’s happening in your body, why symptoms can feel so unpredictable, and what treatment options exist, with clear, practical, evidence-based guidance. This is the book I recommend most often.

The Menopause Manifesto
by Dr. Jen Gunter

An OB/GYN covers the whole menopause transition, from symptoms and hormone therapy to bone and heart health, and separates the evidence from the myths and marketing.

OvaryActive (podcast)
hosted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch

The authors of Estrogen, Interrupted talk through the science of perimenopause and menopause in plain language: hormone therapy, sleep, mood, bone and heart health, and the questions patients ask most.

Sexual Health & Relationships

Changes in desire, arousal, and comfort are some of the most common things people experience during perimenopause and menopause, and some of the least talked about. Some of this is hormonal and can be treated medically. Much of it also involves stress, communication, and relationships. These resources speak to all of it.

Becoming Cliterate: Why Orgasm Equality Matters, and How to Get It
by Dr. Laurie Mintz

A psychologist and sex therapist explains pleasure, anatomy, and the “orgasm gap” in a frank, research-backed, and empowering way.

Come As You Are
by Dr. Emily Nagoski

How desire and arousal actually work, and why there is no single “normal.” Widely used by sex therapists and grounded in sexual health research.

Better Sex Through Mindfulness
by Dr. Lori Brotto

Built on the author’s clinical research, this book offers practical, mindfulness-based tools for low desire and reconnecting with pleasure.

Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence
by Esther Perel

A relationship therapist explores why desire often fades in long-term relationships, and how couples can keep it alive alongside closeness and everyday life.

Where Should We Begin? (podcast)
with Esther Perel

Real couples’ therapy sessions on desire, trust, conflict, and connection. Insightful, compassionate, and very relatable.

Movement & Nutrition Through Menopause

How Your Body Changes

As estrogen levels fall during perimenopause and after menopause, your body changes in ways that have nothing to do with willpower. Understanding them helps explain why what worked at 35 may not work the same way now.

• Fat moves to the middle. Even when weight stays the same, more fat tends to collect around the abdomen and internal organs. This deeper (visceral) fat is linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

• Muscle is harder to keep. Muscle mass and strength decline with age, and this speeds up around menopause. Less muscle means lower strength, energy, and metabolism.

• Bones thin faster. Bone loss is fastest in the years just before and after the final period, raising the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

• Heart and metabolic health shift. LDL (“bad”) cholesterol often rises, and the body handles blood sugar less efficiently.

• Sleep and hunger change. Night sweats and poor sleep can increase hunger and cravings and make it harder to stay active.

The good news: physical activity and nutrition can slow or offset many of these changes, at any age.

Physical Activity

• Strength training is the priority. Aim for at least 2 days a week, working all major muscle groups, and gradually increase the weight or resistance over time. This is the most effective way to protect muscle and bone.

• Move your heart. Work toward 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity. Every bit counts, even 10-minute walks.

• Add impact and balance, if it’s safe for you. Activities like stair climbing, hiking, jumping, or dancing help load your bones. Balance work such as yoga or tai chi helps prevent falls.

• Don’t forget your pelvic floor. Pelvic floor exercises can help with bladder leaks and support sexual health.

• Start where you are. Exercise may not stop hot flashes, but it improves mood, sleep, strength, heart health, and bone health. Any amount is better than none.

Nutrition

• Protein at every meal. Spreading protein through the day, about 25 to 30 grams per meal for many people, helps maintain muscle, especially when paired with strength training. Your needs depend on your body size, activity level, and kidney health.

• Calcium and vitamin D for bones. Women over 50 generally need about 1,200 mg of calcium a day, ideally from food (dairy, fortified plant milks, tofu, canned fish with bones, leafy greens), plus adequate vitamin D. Ask before starting supplements.

• Fiber and plants. Vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts, and seeds support heart health, blood sugar, digestion, and fullness. A Mediterranean-style eating pattern has strong evidence for heart and metabolic health.

• Choose healthy fats. Favor olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, and fish over processed and fried foods.

• Be mindful of alcohol. Alcohol can worsen hot flashes and sleep and raises breast cancer risk. Less is better.

• Skip the “menopause diet” marketing. There’s no special supplement, detox, or diet that fixes menopause. Consistent, realistic habits matter far more.

Everyone’s needs are different. At Bespoke, we use an InBody body composition scan to track changes in muscle and body fat over time, and we build a movement and nutrition plan around your health, preferences, and goals. If weight or metabolic health is a concern, our obesity medicine program can help.

Recommended Reading on Movement & Strength

Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond
by Dr. Stacy Sims

An exercise physiologist explains how training, strength work, and nutrition needs change through perimenopause and menopause, and how to protect muscle, bone, and energy.

Trusted Organizations

The Menopause Society
The leading nonprofit dedicated to menopause care and research. Its patient education pages offer reliable, research-based information on symptoms and treatment options.

Preparing for Your Visit

Bring this list to your appointment and note which symptoms you’ve had in the past few months:

• Changes in your period (timing, flow, skipped cycles)

• Hot flashes or night sweats

• Trouble falling or staying asleep

• Mood changes, anxiety, or irritability

• Brain fog or trouble concentrating

• Joint aches or stiffness

• Weight or body composition changes, especially around the middle

• Vaginal dryness, painful sex, or changes in libido

• Bladder urgency or frequent urinary tract infections

• Changes in hair, skin, or heart palpitations

Also bring:

• A list of your medications and supplements

• Your personal and family history of breast cancer, blood clots, heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis

• Your most recent mammogram and any recent lab results

• Your top two or three goals for treatment

A Note on Menopause Information Online

Be cautious with sources that promise a single fix, sell their own supplements or hormone products, or claim that saliva tests or “hormone balancing” panels can guide treatment. Good menopause care is personalized, based on your symptoms and health history, and grounded in research.